Mass fragmentographic demonstration of low amounts of (3-phenylethylamine in human urine

Abstract

β-Phenylethylamine (PEA) is determined with a simple, rapid and highly specific assay, in 5 ml human urine, using GLC combined with mass fragmentography. The 24 h urinary excretion of PEA in ten healthy male subjects ranged from 28 to 131 nmol/24 h with a mean (±SD) of 66 (±9) nmol/24 h. It is concluded that reinvestigation of PEA-excretion in psychiatric patients is needed, since earlier less specific methods have measured much higher levels of PEA in human urine.

Key Words:

• β-phenylethylamine
• human urine
• mass spectrometry
• schizophrenia
• amphetamine analogue